Speaking at Microsoft's financial analysts meeting today, CEO Steve Ballmer was refreshingly realistic about the company's struggles in smartphones and tablets. "Mobile devices. We have almost no share."

Right. Now that Ballmer himself admits it, can we please settle the discussion? Windows Phone has been a failure up until now.

Considering the market is very different now, yes. It is an achievement. They are no longer a market leader. That's their goal again, for sure, but not being able to commend them on milestones on the way there is absurdly small of you.

Considering the market is very different now, yes. It is an achievement.

It is an achievement anyone could accomplish, if they were willing to take a big enough loss. That is what Microsoft is doing right now. All that cash sent to Nokia, all that advertisement money for Windows Phone - that's what "achieved" this. Has anyone calculated how much that amounts to per sold Windows Phone?

I should commend them on that? Sure, I'll play along. "You've got piles of money, Microsoft. Well done!"

It is an achievement anyone could accomplish, if they were willing to take a big enough loss. That is what Microsoft is doing right now. All that cash sent to Nokia, all that advertisement money for Windows Phone - that's what "achieved" this. Has anyone calculated how much that amounts to per sold Windows Phone?

I should commend them on that? Sure, I'll play along. "You've got piles of money, Microsoft. Well done!"

How's that for absurdly small of me?

It takes money to make money. The only thing is that Microsoft's offering has enough merit to put the money behind it. Makes sense that they would invest and leverage in order to push adoption. In a different way Google is also doing the same thing. They are not making much at all giving away Android. The Nexus line is just there to make sure that Samsung does not make them their bitch.

It is an achievement anyone could accomplish, if they were willing to take a big enough loss. That is what Microsoft is doing right now. All that cash sent to Nokia, all that advertisement money for Windows Phone - that's what "achieved" this. Has anyone calculated how much that amounts to per sold Windows Phone?

You obviously have no idea how real businesses work. It is completely normal for companies to lose massive amounts of money for many years developing new markets.

In the mining and oil industries it is reasonably common for companies to invest $10+ billion and up to 20 years before a new project become profitable.

MS is a boring mature company run by adults. It will probably be around long after most of the other "exciting" tech companies such as Google and Apple are nothing more than historical footnotes.

Considering the market is very different now, yes. It is an achievement. They are no longer a market leader. That's their goal again, for sure, but not being able to commend them on milestones on the way there is absurdly small of you.

Nelson, are you trying to push Windows Phone/Tablet positively even if the owners says it isn't? And in my country, Windows Phone booth is a ghost town, I may check it if I get to the mall next time.